About the National Corrections Academy

We provide training in leadership, management and specialized corrections topics
for state, local and federal corrections. Training covers a broad range of correctional
disciplines and topics, including leadership, jail and prison programming, offender
reentry, and mental health.
Learn more »

Examples of Technical Assistance

Assist in the development of offender job training and placement efforts.

About Technical Assistance

Our technical assistance includes onsite guidance, support, consultation, or training
provided by an experienced technical resource provider or NIC staff member who serves
in an advisory capacity and works with agency staff.

About the Library

Corrections-related resources including training plans,
research reports, program evaluations and more. Not all items are online. For access to the full collection
and our live onsite Information Experts, please use our Information Help Desk.

About the Corrections Community

We manage and support a community for corrections professionals to share information,
ask questions, and work together online. This site has public and private forums
that facilitate discussions on correctional topics and to seek answers from fellow
members. We also maintain blogs which are used to share information about NIC activities,
announce opportunities, and solicit feedback from the field. Membership is fast,
free, and open to all.

What We Are Doing

The field of corrections faces many challenges and the National Institute of Corrections
(NIC) coordinates and provides consulting, research, funding and training in an
effort to address key issues. The results of these initiatives provide the field
with valuable information and resources when dealing with these challenges.

About the National Institute of Corrections

We are an agency within the U.S. Department
of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Institute is headed by a Director appointed
by the U.S. Attorney General. A 16-member Advisory Board, also appointed by the
Attorney General, was established by the enabling legislation (Public Law 93-415)
to provide policy direction to the Institute.

Topic Results by Date

People in Charge, LLC (Boulder, CO); National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington, DC).

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and People in Charge LLC are pleased to present the Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX) Change Team Training Curriculum – part of the APEX Initiative. The APEX initiative incorporates culture, leadership, performance measurement, results, and a change management strategy to help corrections agencies use their resources wisely to improve their organizational performance …
The APEX Change Team Training will provide correctional agencies with capa... Read More

Making the transition from line staff to supervisor calls for developing new skills and competencies as well as a major shift in mindset from doing one’s own work to supervising the work of others.
This program focuses on core competencies for supervisors. These competencies include developing personal and professional goals, demonstrating leadership, solving problems, thinking critically, making decisions, managing conflict, coaching, counseling, providing discipline, and encouraging staff p... Read More

“The Evidence-based Practice Skills Assessment (EBPSA) is a self-report measurement tool designed to gauge the extent to which correctional staff demonstrate the skills necessary to successfully implement Evidence-based Practices (EBP)” (p. 5). The EBPSA guide summarizes how using the EBPSA can enhance an organization’s ability to become a more effective evidence-based organization. A brief overview describes the development of the EBPSA. Additional sections address reliability analysis, scoring... Read More

Characteristics that result in the best performance of correctional managers and supervisors are identified along with key skills, knowledge, and attributes of effective and successful leaders which are then linked to a set of specific behaviors. This manual includes an executive summary and the following chapters: managerial profiles; ethics and values; interpersonal relationships; oral and written communication; motivating others; developing direct reports; managing conflict; team building; c... Read More

This program provides participants strategies for developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating work teams within a corrections agency work unit and agency-wide. It covers individual and group leadership techniques, group dynamics, characteristics of performance-based work teams, team-based dialogue, and overcoming organizational barriers to team development, True Colors inventory, and experiential outdoor teambuilding activities.... Read More

Strategies for developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating work teams within a work unit or agencywide are covered during this 36-hour program. Sections contained in this manual are: why teams?; dimensions of teamwork; teams and the organizational meeting; stages of team development; managing team conflict; and Team Playbook -- playing for performance (a workbook for this course).... Read More

Characteristics that result in the best performance of executive and senior level leaders are identified along with the key skills, knowledge, and attributes of effective and successful leaders which are then linked to a set of specific behaviors. Following an executive summary, this manual provides an exploration of: managerial profiles; self awareness; ethics and values; vision and mission; strategic thinking; managing the external environment; power and influence; strategic planning and perf... Read More

National Institute of Corrections Academy (Longmont, CO)
National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections/Prisons Division (Washington, DC).

This program focuses on the changing and expanding roles of probation, parole, and community corrections officers. Probation, parole and community corrections officers have seen their roles and professional expectations change and expand over the past several years. However, their primary responsibility has remained the supervision of offenders in conjunction with effective caseload management.
These changing and expanding roles and expectations, coupled with offender supervision and caseload... Read More

The knowledge, skills, and tools needed to address staff sexual misconduct in community corrections are provided during this 24-hour training program. This course is comprised of six modules: an overview on staff sexual misconduct; professional boundaries, ethics, and culture; policies and procedures; investigations; legal issues for community corrections; and prevention. The "Policy Development Guide" answers the question "How do I know if my agency needs a policy?" and provides direction on h... Read More

National Institute of Corrections Academy (Longmont, CO); U.S. Dept. of Justice. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Washington, DC).

The development and implementation of an in-house leadership and management development system (within existing agency parameters) are discussed during this 30-hour course. Sections of this manual include: training program introduction; setting a context and identifying trends; trainer and training function self-assessment; strategies for getting management buy-in; establishing a design team and advisory board; identifying candidates for your program; competency development and assessment of ma... Read More

Participants will assess their personal leadership styles and set specific goals for a career development plan during this 36-hour course. Five sections comprise this manual: leadership -- self-mastery, network relationships, and positive politics; our dragons -- feedback; relationships, power, and leadership; expanding our world view -- learn, change and grow; and returning renewed and refreshed.... Read More

National Institute of Corrections Academy. Western Regional Field Coordinators (N.P.).

A leadership curriculum package that provides "a quickie look at the work of a leader and how best to do it" is presented. Contents of this collection are: guide to assembling the lesson plan and participant handout; instructor notes; copies of overheads; program text; action plan presentation worksheet; action plan worksheet; Leadership Challenge and Evaluation; list of leadership competencies; and promotional material.... Read More

Findings from a report which "assesses the outcome of the training [program] in terms of the leadership-related behaviors of participants" are presented (p. 4).
This evaluation contains the following sections: executive summary; background; program description; research design; findings according to -- overview of participant training manual, analysis of participant program evaluations, on-site observations of researchers, focus group feedback, and survey results; and conclusions and recomm... Read More

Strategies for developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating work teams within a work unit and agency-wide are presented during this 36-hour program. This manual contains the following sections: Why teams?; critical elements of teamwork; organizational meeting; stages of team development; team tools and techniques; and playbook for strategies for building effective work teams.... Read More

An integrated series of steps that result in a comprehensive and innovative staffing plan is presented. The staffing analysis process involves: jail profiling; net annual work hours calculation; development of a facility activity schedule; staff coverage plan development; completion of a staff summary; schedule development; evaluation, revision, and improvement of the plan; operational costs calculation; report preparation; and implementation of the plan and monitoring of the results. Appendixes... Read More

Difficult inmates, such as those who have gang affiliations, chronic behavioral problems or who are mentally or socially challenged, require more complex management interventions. This program presents a menu of options for managing difficult inmates, discusses barriers, and identifies resources. Segments of this presentation include:

Becoming a first line supervisor involves many changes and challenges. This 28-hour course, originally delivered as a distance learning event, introduces ideas, insights, and perspectives that will immediately impact supervision effectiveness. Modules include: building blocks of supervision (what is a supervisor and supervisory competencies); personal competencies (vision and values and principled behavior); organizational context (mission and culture and working with stakeholders); supervisory ... Read More

This three-hour interactive videoconference addresses both adult and juvenile psychopaths who are incarcerated or under community supervision. It covers the following topics: identification, diagnosis, and classification of psychopathic offenders and detainees; assessing their risk for violence (prediction studies); special considerations with psychopathic sex offenders; costs associated with managing these offenders and detainees; the implications for treatment, management, and release; Hendric... Read More

The objective of these training sessions is to empower corrections institutions to significantly decrease the percentage of recidivism as they work with offenders. This four-session training in the area of cognitive/behavioral strategies will help participants to become aware of the research, understand cognitive principles and apply these principles along with the methods of cognitive restructuring, and understand the principles and methods of cognitive skills therapy.

An evaluation of the feedback from this training seminar's participants indicates that the program was considered an overall success. Participants and the evaluator give suggestions for possible improvement of future meetings.... Read More

Particular skills common to most inspectors are identified in this document that was designed as an entrance level training vehicle for inspectors. Legal issues, standards, the inspection process, facility design and its impact on operations, communications, organizational structures, and resources are topics addressed.... Read More

National Institute of Corrections National Academy of Corrections (Boulder, CO).

Duties with corresponding tasks are provided in this DACUM profile of a Warden/Superintendent. Characteristics associated with worker traits and attitudes, and general knowledge and skills are also listed.... Read More

National Institute of Corrections National Academy of Corrections (Boulder, CO).

A DACUM profile is provided of the duties and tasks of the Community Corrections Administrator. Such duties include: manage personnel, administer finances, promote professional competency and awareness, manage information, and manage facilities and equipment.... Read More

By Katsampes, Paul.
National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC).
National Institute of Corrections National Academy of Corrections (Boulder, CO); National Institute of Corrections National Academy of Corrections Outreach Program (Boulder, CO).

Contents: Part 1: The Manager's Role--Part 2: The Trainer's Role.... Read More

By Maghan, Jesse L..
National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC).

Title of project: Development of Training Programs and Materials in Response to Prison Violence.... Read More

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